Nova radio host lays bare fears about joint back accounts

A Melbourne radio host has pointed out the big issue with a very common occurrence in long-term relationships and why many women are refusing to partake.

A radio host has shared her fear, that many women have, when it comes to combining finances in a relationship.

Melbourne’s Nova 100’s Ben, Liam & Belle breakfast show host Belle Jackson revealed she moved into a house she purchased with her boyfriend of two years.

“We’re starting to discuss now that we have a shared account for the mortgage, do we just have a whole shared account where we put everything, who keeps what separate or do we just put it all in the one basket,” she said.

Her co-host Ben Harvey said he’d been with his partner for a decade, and for eight of those years they’d shared accounts.

Nova's Belle Jackson shares relationship dilemma

Liam Stapleton said he was in the same boat as Ben, with the pair adding that their pay packet goes into the account.

But Belle revealed she was hesitant as it meant there was no independence.

“In my eyes I want to have my money, my pay, go into my account so I can choose – OK I’m going to put go that into the shared account for us, and I’m going to keep that on the side for anything else,” she said.

One of her co-hosts pointed out that both would have cards that access the account and isn’t that enough independence.

Belle said her partner Luke has kids from a previous relationship that he pays child support for, and she doesn’t want her hard earned money going to that.

The trio then turned to journalist Ash Gardner, who has recently moved in with her boyfriend, for her opinion.

Nova journalist said lack of financial independence can lead to difficult situations. Picture: Stock

Ash said: “We technically live separately but he’s in the process of moving in. So, it’s probably a conversation we’re going to have to have soon.

“I’m of the same opinion, as you Belle, where I think that I have my account, he has his and then we have a joint account that we both chip in.

“One because I own my apartment so that’s a bit messy in terms of mortgage repayments and stuff but two, I also think it’s important, sometimes more for women to have a bit of financial independence.”

Ash said she’d seen situations where women are unable to get out of a scenario because they are tied financially to another and couldn’t make it on their own.

The radio hosts pointed out there is no blanket situation, and each relationship calls for its own set of rules.

Ben, Liam & Belle can be heard weekdays from 6am to 9am on Nova 100 or catch up with the Ben, Liam & Belle podcast by downloading the Nova Player.

Originally published as Nova radio host lays bare fears about joint back accounts